A scientific note on a rapid method for the molecular discrimination of Apis andreniformis and A. florea

作者：Higgs Jessica S; McHale Marcus; Oldroyd Benjamin P^*

来源：Apidologie, 2010, 41(1): 96-98.

DOI：10.1051/apido/2009060

• Apis florea
• Apis andreniformis
• ribosomal RNA
• identification

Apis florea (Smith, 1858) and A. andreniformis (Fabricius, 1787) comprise the sole members of a subgenus of honey bee known as Micrapis (Maa, 1953) or dwarf honey bees (Oldroyd and Wongsiri, 2006). The species are superficially similar, but distinguishing characteristics include behaviour, the morphology of the crown of the nest, and body colour (Oldroyd and Wongsiri, 2006). However diagnosis is not always straightforward due to a rare yellow A. andreniformis morph that is very similar to A. florea (Higgs et al., 2009). Nor are the above characteristics diagnostic when only immature lifestages are available.
Here we report what we believe is an unequivocal test of species identity utilizing the mitochondrial large subunit ribosomal RNA gene (rrnL). The test is applicable to all life stages and castes, and will thus be useful for quarantine o. cials and studies of inter- specific reproductive parasitism.

• 出版日期2010-2